Pretoria - The Hawks in collaboration with Crime Intelligence have arrested two suspects for incitement to commit public violence in Gauteng and KZN respectively.
It is alleged that the KZN suspect, a 35-year-old man, was involved in the incitement of public violence through social media and other platforms during the July unrest in KwaZulu-Natal.
As a result, Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg was looted. During the incident, the mall was set alight by the suspects.
He is expected to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng suspect, who is a 36-year-old woman who operated as Sphithiphithi Evaluator @ African Soil with a following of 59 900 people was arrested on Saturday, during a search and seizure operation in Leondale which resulted in the confiscation of evidence for further investigation.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrates court on Monday on charges of incitement to commit public violence.
Relating to the recent looting, the Independent on Saturday reported that dig companies confirmed last week that many high-tech goods stolen during the recent riots in Durban have been blocked or blacklisted.
Samsung started the ball rolling with a statement confirming that Samsung South Africa has activated a Television Block Function on all Samsung TV sets which were stolen from one of their main warehouses in Cato Ridge.
Mike van Lier, director of consumer electronics, Samsung South Africa, said the company would continue to review the situation “to ensure business continuity for all”.
Both Vodacom and Cell Calso confirmed all stolen handsets have been blacklisted.